Power Rankings: Chelsea Overtake Stumbling City

Chelsea take the top spot in this weeks power rankings, while Stoke City and Aston Villa made the biggest leaps following their impressive wins at the weekend.  

1. Chelsea (2): Jose Mourinho’s men flexed their muscles at Goodison Park on Saturday, blowing away Everton at the tail end of a 6-3 thriller.  Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have taken this team to the next level, while players already at the club have improved as well.  They’ve been the best team going into the international break, and are 100% deserving of the top spot. 

2. Liverpool (5): Many thought Sunday’s contest with Tottenham would be an even contest, but Liverpool stormed the gates of White Hart Lane to a 3-0 win.  There are always room for improvements, and it will take time for Mario Balotelli to re-acclimate himself with the league.  But, as Brendan Rodgers said this morning, Liverpool is not the Balotelli show, and they showed it.  

3. Manchester City (1): As surprising as the result was for Manchester City, it’s not shocking to see this team go missing for almost an entire game.  This happened several times last season in their road to the championship.  However, Manuel Pellegrini will have to go back to the drawing board in order to get his high-octane offense going once again.  

4. Swansea (6): Gary Monk has enjoyed nine points from nine for Swansea City to start the season.  Going into the international break, Nathan Dyer has given Roy Hodgson something to think about next time around; the winger was a revelation on Saturday, linking up nicely with Wilfried Bony, whose form and power make Michu a forgotten man in Wales.  

5. Southampton (7): For all the work he’s put in in the first three fixtures, there wasn’t a man more deserving of a goal than Graziano Pelle.  The Italian finished off a 3-1 road win at Upton Park which saw Morgan Schneiderlin pick up a brace that will surely ease the pain of being left behind to face the music at Southampton.  James Ward-Prowse is making this team click with his precision long-balls and ability to control the tempo of the game.  

6. Arsenal (4): A flat performance from the gunners saw them drop two points to new boys Leicester City.  The loss of Olivier Giroud is still having an impact on the team, but Danny Welbeck’s arrival should ease pressure off of Alexis Sanchez and the flailing Yaya Sanogo to produce goals from the tip of the attack.  

7. Tottenham (3): Just when we all thought Tottenham were for real, Liverpool came to town and swept them away 3-0 at White Hart Lane.  After two wins to start the year, Mauricio Pochettino has some thinking to do over the international break.  The talent is there for Spurs, but they must figure it out as a unit. 

8. Aston Villa (14): In a matchup of damage control after two respective mid-week losses, Aston Villa were the more resilient side against Hull City.  Andy Weimann continues his excellent start to league play, and Paul Lambert can rest easy during the international break.  Tom Cleverly will improve the side as Carlos Sanchez settles into life in England.  

9. Manchester United (11): I had to move Manchester United up in the rankings despite the disappointing away draw to Burnley because of what they did in the dying days of the transfer window.  Angel Di Maria was the Red Devils’ best player on the pitch Saturday, while Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao should further improve the starting XI.  

10. Stoke City (19): Going into the matchup, finding Jim Morrison alive would be more likely than Stoke City snatching all three points from the Etihad.  Thanks to some excellent organization and defending, especially from Ryan Shawcross, Stoke were able to pull off the deserved shocker against the holders.  

11. Everton (10): Everton were brutally exposed by Chelsea, but it shouldn’t deter Roberto Martinez’ men one bit.  Chelsea put six goals past Tim Howard, but there are plenty of positives to take from a match in which Everton wouldn’t stop clawing back.  The Toffees will look to bounce back in a fortnight when they head to the Hawthornes to take on West Brom.  

12. Crystal Palace (17): Times are looking up once again for Crystal Palace.  New manager Neil Warnock was rewarded a point against Newcastle by new signing Wilfried Zaha, who looks to re-vamp his post-United career. 

13. Burnley (15): Similar to Leicester City, Burnley had a chance to inflict damage on an already hurting club in the confines of their own stadium.  The point against United is a good one, but like their fellow new boys will regret not snatching three shocking points from a doable fixture.  

14. Hull City (12): Hull City endured a poor week, losing mid-week in the Capital One Cup, then falling 2-1 to Aston Villa.  Things could have been much worse for Steve Bruce, who say his Tigers thoroughly outplayed in the first half.  

15. Sunderland (9): Gus Poyet will regret not seeing his team go ahead early on, as they dominated the first portion of the match with QPR.  Overall, a disappointing result against a team who has scored one goal in three matches thus far this season.  

16. Leicester City (18): There are two sides of the coin to take from Sunday’s match with Arsenal.  Leicester City should be somewhat satisfied with a point against the Gunners, but will rue the opportunity to snatch three points against a top four team at home.  

17. West Ham (8): Sam Allardyce will not be happy with the atrocious defending on Southampton’s second goal, which saw the Saints catch the Hammers off guard from a corner.  After a big week two, West Ham are among the biggest fallers in this week’s rankings.  

18. Newcastle United (16): On the bright side, Rolando Aarons has arrived and could be a pleasant surprise for the Magpies this season.  On the not so light side, a late goal conceded cost Alan Pardew two valuable points in an otherwise outstanding contest from a neutral perspective.  

19. Queens Park Rangers (20): The highlight of the game was probably new signing Leroy Fer’s cannon off the crossbar, but other wise a huge step in the right direction for QPR.  Three points will ease pressure on Harry Redknapp, but more work is to be done if they are to stay in the league next season.  

20. West Brom (13): West Brom were thoroughly outplayed by Swansea City on Saturday, and because of it have fallen to the bottom of the rankings.  Swansea are off to a miraculous start, but the usually tough and physical Baggies were overrun by Gary Monk’s men.  

Same Old Wenger

A year ago, Arsenal fans were treated to one of the most memorable deadline days in history.  Arsene Wenger shattered the club transfer record and brought in Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, but there was no repeat of last years drama this time around.  

Arsenal have become accustomed to being linked with big names recently, so the ‘breaking news’ that Danny Welbeck had joined the Emirates was underwhelming to say the least.  Welbeck is a good buy though, because at the moment Yaya Sanogoals is living up to his unfortunate nick name.  

At Manchester United, Welbeck was usually deployed on the left instead of his preferred position at center forward.  At Arsenal, his wish will be granted and could yet blossom under Arsene Wenger.  At just 23, Welbeck joins an already strong core of British players.

People were understandably upset after the transfer window closed.  Danny Welbeck was not what they wanted, but this is nothing new from Wenger.  While most fans prefer to live in the moment and focus on the most readily available sources of banter, Wenger is always thinking about the future.  

From Wenger’s point of view, he has a few reserve players who he’s willing to bet can challenge for the first team within a year or two.  Isaac Hayden is an excellent example of a young player Wenger rates very highly.  

Hayden possesses the exact skill set that Arsenal fans have been calling for; he’s a big and physical center back who can play defensive midfield too.  In the market, Wenger must weigh whether or not he wants to pay a transfer fee and dish out long-term contract for a player he reckons is already at the club.  

Serge Aurier looked Emirates-bound early on in the transfer window, but Debuchy’s signing proves Wenger knows what he’s doing.  With Bacary Sagna gone, the attractive option would have been to bring in the speedy Ivorian.  However, Wenger has Hector Bellerin coming through the ranks.

Bellerin impressed at the Emirates Cup and could make the right back spot his for the future.  Two years from now, Bellerin will be 21, Debuchy will be 31, and Carl Jenkinson will have picked up two years of premier league experience.  This is the best and most recent example of long-term plans being executed by Wenger.  

More immediately, Arsene Wenger is putting all the trust in the world in Calum Chambers.  Deemed ‘one for the future,’ Chambers is making his mark already at Arsenal.  His mistakes will become less and less frequent the more he plays.  Chambers offers cover in the defense and the midfield making his immediate value very high at Arsenal.  

Had Olivier Giroud not been injured, Arsenal could very well have not signed anyone on deadline day.  For who was available, and considering the business completed already, it isn’t too surprising that Arsenal ended up securing just Danny Welbeck.  

As a fan of the club myself, I was adamant that the boss needed at least one signing of a defensive player, whether it be in the midfield or back line.  The cruel nature of being an Arsenal fan however, is that Arsene Wenger doesn’t do it your way.  He does it his way, and this could be the best explanation for the lack of action in North London yesterday.  

Blind, Welbeck, Alderweireld, and Falcao Join on Deadline Day

Daley Blind, Manchester United

This one just had to happen.  It made too much sense for it to not happen.  Daley Blind bid farewell to his boyhood club Ajax and arrived for a fee in the region of 16 million pounds.  Pound for pound, Blind is United’s best value signing of the summer.  He plays two positions excellently, and playing under Louis Van Gaal will undoubtedly see him integrate smoothly with the system.  

Danny Welbeck, Arsenal

One of those deals that benefits all parties, but for Welbeck this is an enormous chance to prove himself.  Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last week or so, you’ve probably heard about Olivier Giroud’s issues.  Welback arrives with one job, and one only; play center forward.  Supporters will applaud his work rate, and aged only 23, the Englishman has a chance to re-vamp a sputtering career on the bench at Old Trafford.  

Toby Alderweireld, Southampton

Ronald Koeman was a deciding factor in the 25 year old’s decision to join Southampton.  Alderweireld can play center back or right back, and has won trophies at Athletico Madrid most recently.  After losing Dejan Lovren, Calum Chambers, and Luke Shaw in the summer, Koeman needed a proven versatile defender at the right price.  He got exactly what he wanted in Alderweireld.  

Falcao, Manchester United

The summer of 2014 has seen Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck, and Chicharito leave Old Trafford among others.  A bizarre deal to me, Falcao earns roughly 350,000 pounds per week, 200,000 of which will be paid by United.  I would have thought Van Gaal needed a hard man at the back more than a striker, but Falcao is undoubtedly world-class.  Falcao and Rooney? Falcao and Robin Van Persie? Or boring old Van Persie and Rooney?  Ed Woodward may have gotten this idea from playstation, but it definitely makes United more dangerous in the final third.  

Di Maria Shows Promise, Tactical Questions For United

Manchester United will have to wait a bit longer for their first premier league win in the new campaign.  The Red Devils drew 0-0 to an organized Burnley side at Turf Moor today, bringing their tally to just two points from three relatively easy games.  

The man of the moment was Angel Di Maria who made his Manchester United debut wearing the club's beloved #7 shirt.  Di Maria impressed for the most part in the first half.  Many speculated he would play in an advanced wide role, but the Argentine started deep and delivered some fantastic long balls over the top.  

He created three good scoring chances for Manchester United in a central role during the first half, then moved to a more advanced position after halftime.  Di Maria’s movement off the ball was excellent, offering an outlet for the under-pressure defensive line.  

His willingness to drop deep along with his exceptional vision make him a viable option in central midfield.  His work rate is impressive, but was certainly a little out of his depth in the overwhelming speed and physicality of the league.  He will adapt, as all great players do.  

In Louis Van Gaal’s new system, everyone is still acclimating to both the tactics and more importantly each other.  It remains to be seen if he will change his formation, but regardless United must get on a better wavelength.  

Burnley captain Jason Shackell was outstanding in defense, making several key interventions and all the while keeping the back unit tightly knit.  Danny Ings impressed too, harassing Phil Jones and Jonny Evans into a few early mistakes.  

Again, all three center backs for United were guilty of making errors which could have easily led to a concession.  The first two minutes alone saw Jones and Evans make two glaring errors, making a case for Van Gaal to go with four in the back.  The arrivals of Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind will aid either formation.  

Both players are extremely versatile, and fill needs at multiple positions.  Blind made the left wingback role his own in Brazil and was Erividise player of the season as a defensive midfielder last year.  Rojo, as I’ve mentioned before, can play both center back and left back with athleticism and stamina.

In terms of fitness, The Red Devils’ substitutions were indicative of where their star player are at physically.  Di Maria was running on fumes by the 60th minute, while Robin Van Persie and Juan Mata were also looked tired as they left the pitch.  

A point away to a hungry bottom-feeder team isn’t the worst thing to happen, but United still have a long way to go.  After four games, Van Gaal is still in search of his first win and is still answering tough questions every day.  I do believe, however, that a healthier and more cohesive Manchester United team will look much, much better.  

Chelsea Set For Everton Test

Jose Mourinho has had the luxury of facing two premier league newcomers in Chelsea’s first two premier league fixtures.  After a brief scare against Burnley, the Blues have gone on to dominate both games, winning comfortably in the end.

To make matters even better for Mourinho, he saw his team draw by far the easiest group of any English team in the Champions League yesterday.  This weekend Chelsea will face their first real test of the season when they travel to Goodison Park and face Everton.  

The two blue-clad clubs dueled to offsetting 1-0 home wins last season, leaving no doubt that tomorrows fixture will be hotly contested.  Everton have a pair of Chelsea strikers facing fitness battles before the weekend, but anyone who claims Samuel Eto’o isn’t out for revenge to some degree is kidding themselves.  

Eto’o, the ever confident Cameroonian who recently retired from international duty after 56 goals in 118 appearances, will have his former manager's comments about the strikers age in the back of his mind.  However, he has been with the team for less than a week, and his inclusion will likely be limited to a substitute appearance should he be available.  

Regardless of Eto’o’s fitness status, Romelu Lukaku will lead the line for the Toffees.  A year ago, Lukaku declared that he would score more goals in the premier league for Everton than any Chelsea strikers while on loan.  He came through on his promise, netting 15 goals and eventually earning a permanent contract with Everton.  

Lukaku will show the determination to prove himself under the watchful eye of Jose Mourinho, who sold the Belgian earlier in the summer.  Ross Barkley is still sidelined with injury, as are Steven Pienaar and Bryan Oviedo.  Roberto Martinez still has plenty of quality players at his disposal however.  

The midfield duo of Gareth Barry and James McCarthy has been excellent in the past year, while fullbacks Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines are a mainstay on either flank.  John Stones could deputize anywhere along the back line should Martinez need a late replacement.  Muhamed Besic has yet to make his first premier league start, so I wouldn't rule out Martinez sending him out there in front of the holding pair of Barry and McCarthy with confidence.  

Chelsea will have their hands full going into a hostile environment, but will have a full squad to choose from.  Diego Costa had a brief injury scare midweek, but has passed a fitness evaluation this afternoon and will likely lead the Chelsea line.  

Mourinho has fielded an attacking lineup in the two previous matches, but could opt for a more defensive starting XI and deploy the tireless Ramires next to Nemanja Matic in the middle.  

This would mean either Oscar or Cesc Fabregas would be sacrificed to the bench, something Mourinho is not afraid to do in big games away from home.  Ramires could also feature on one of the wings, since defending the flanks is never easy against Everton.  Whoever Mourinho selects on either wing must have a tactical understanding and help out against the marauding Coleman and Baines.  

As they did last weekend against Arsenal, Everton will likely come out aggressively.  However, Mourinho will not allow his team to go down 2-0 as Arsene Wenger did.  He has to be wary of how dangerous Everton can be when the run of play favors them and at times will be forced to play behind the ball.  

For Everton, it is imperative that lessons be learned from last weekend’s result against the Gunners.  For 75 minutes, Everton defended excellently and took their chances extremely well.  They took advantage of a sluggish Mertesacker and a weak defensive midfield, but must know the team they face tomorrow will be tougher and more organized.  

If Everton grab the lead, they mustn’t so deep in the dying moments as they did against Arsenal and allow Chelsea to mount a comeback.  Chelsea will probably play relatively simple and compact for the first portion of the game and Jose Mourinho will adjust as he always does.  

If Mourinho can sustain a defensive presence and assess how to improve the squad he has on the pitch at halftime, Chelsea could sneak away with a win.  However, the big game mentality that Roberto Martinez instills in his players will reign supreme over Mourinho’s methods.  I’m predicting Everton to snatch their first win of the season in what is sure to be a heavyweight duel, 1-0.  

Ward-Prowse Poised to Make an Impact

Arguably the story of the summer in the premier league was the fire sale from the doorstep of the St. Mary’s Stadium.  Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Calum Chambers, and Dejan Lovren all left Southampton for a combined 92 million pounds.  To add insult to injury, manager Mauricio Pochettino also bolted for White Hart Lane.  

From a Southampton fan’s point of view, the summer couldn’t have gone much worse.  From a more neutral point of view, Southampton have managed to keep hold of their brightest young star in James Ward-Prowse. 

The 19 year old, who joined the Saints’ academy at just eight years old, is already entering his third season as a full-time member of the first team.  It goes to show why over two years ago, then manager Nigel Adkins had the faith in the 17 year old Ward-Prowse to give him his premier league debut in midfield against defending champions Manchester City.  

Up against Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Samir Nasri, David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Vincent Kompany that day, Ward-Prowse earned the high praise of his manager in 65 minutes of impressive two-way football.  Since then, Ward-Prowse’s rise has been steady but relatively undetected.  

With the aforementioned Saints now having moved on to new clubs, now is Ward-Prowse’s time to shine.  It remains to be seen if he has the toughness and desire to deliver with added pressure on his young shoulders, but I wouldn’t bet against him.

He is a technician in the mold of Steven Gerrard, with less of a physical presence but possessing superior speed and quickness.  Also reminiscent of the Liverpool skipper, Ward-Prowse is outstanding in dead-ball situations and can spray the ball to any corner of the field with accuracy and vision.  

He has yet to score in the premier league, but his strengths are not illustrated in his goal tally.  In the 2013/2014 premier league season, Ward-Prowse had a better pass completion and average pass length than both Ross Barkley and Jack Wilshere, England’s two most promising playmakers.  

Furthermore, the young Saint also averaged more key passes and chances created per 90 minutes than both of his countryman last season.

Internationally, Ward-Prowse has experience at the U-17 through U-21 levels, most recently representing England in the 2014 Toulon Tournament in France in May.  His only goal of the tournament was a breathtaking free kick against Brazil, which was eventually voted goal of the tournament.  

He was also voted one of the best three players of the tournament, which is a showcase for the best young talent in the world.  In my humble opinion, he was robbed of a spot on Roy Hodgson’s recent squad he named for the upcoming friendly against Norway and the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland, but his eventual inclusion in the Three Lions is a formality.

After a summer in which England were eliminated so swiftly and with such ease from the World Cup, Ward-Prowse gives hope to a Three Lions team in desperate need of a new star.  With Gerrard and Lampard deciding to hang up their boots, Ward-Prowse will certainly challenge Wilshere, Barkley, Adam Lallana, and Jordan Henderson for playing time in central midfield.  

Here and now however, James Ward-Prowse’s focus will be on the premier league, while more viewer focus should be on him individually.  Down the road it is a formality that he will move on for a very hefty transfer fee, but for now Southampton fans can rest easy that they still very much have a star to watch.

Defenders for the Future

The future is bright for these stars, some of whom have already featured in the top flight, but some who you may not be familiar with just yet.

Kenneth Omeruo, 20, Chelsea

Kenneth Omeruo probably has as much international experience as any 20-year old in the world.  The Nigerian started all four games for Nigeria in the World Cup, as well as every game in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, a competition the Super Eagles won for the third time.  

Omeruo, on loan at Middlesborough, was bought by Chelsea in 2012 and has yet to feature for the first team in England.  In addition to wonder-kid Kurt Zouma, Mourinho has two physically dominant center backs at his disposal for the future.  

Hector Bellerin, 19, Arsenal

Arsene Wenger always has a plan, and it’s easy to see how he envisions Arsenal’s future at right back.  With the departure of Bacary Sagna, Mathieu Debuchy was brought in to replace his compatriot as the first-choice right back.  However, Debuchy is 29 and merely a short-term replacement.  

Enter Bellerin, who is certain to feature for Arsenal in the coming years.  Bellerin recently claimed the ‘fastest gunner of all time’ title after beating Theo Walcott and Thierry Henry’s 40-yard mark, and impressed both defensively and in attack at the Emirates Cup.  The La Masia Academy product is flying through the ranks at Arsenal and could appear in the premier league much sooner than anyone expects him to.  

John Stones, 20, Everton

Some reckoned John Stones had an outside shot at making the plane to Brazil this summer, but we can definitely assume he will be in the mix four years from now.  As an understudy to premier league veterans Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka, Stones has improved on his already immense pedigree since joining Everton.  

Stones can also deputize for Seamus Coleman at right back, making him a versatile asset capable of filling a number of roles (he more than filled this role when Coleman was sidelined last year).  Roberto Martinez deserves all the credit in the world for plucking him out of Barnsley last summer, and the sky is the limit for this multifaceted young man.  

Calum Chambers, 19, Arsenal

Similar to Stones, Chambers can play both center back and right back.  It wouldn’t be a far reach to predict that the two youngsters could be England’s first-choice center backs one day, but like Stones, Chambers can also play wide right.  

Chambers was bought for 16 million pounds by Arsenal this summer, a hefty fee for a teenager with just 22 premier league appearances under his belt.  However, he has impressed thus far while Per Mertesacker regains fitness and Laurent Koscielny battles though an achilles injury.  

Matt Targett, 18, Southampton

Southampton endured a long and difficult summer in the transfer market, one which saw them lose half their starting lineup as well as their managar.  Similar to what Arsenal did, Southampton brought in short term cover at the left back position vacated by Luke Shaw.  Ryan Bertrand joined on a two year loan from Chelsea, but the future lies with Matt Targett.  

Targett joins Gareth Bale and Shaw as the latest of left backs to come up through the South.  A Southampton supporter born into a Southampton-mad family, Targett has incredible pace and explosiveness going forward.  Ronald Koeman has reportedly taken a liking to the teenager who impressed in a preseason which saw him earn a pair of starts at left back.  

Eric Dier, 20, Tottenham

Two weeks ago, I would have looked like a genius for putting Eric Dier on this list.  Now, it’s a formality.  Dier’s story is one of the more unique ones in football.  Born in England, Dier moved to Portugal at age ten with his mother when she was offered a catering job for the 2004 European Championships.  

After impressing in none other than P.E. class, Dier was referred to Sporting Lisbon scouts by his school instructor soon after moving there.  In 2010 at age 16, Dier, loyal as ever, turned down Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United to stay in Portugal and play for the club who schooled him.  Now, the Englishman has returned to England and certainly made his presence felt with goals in each of his first two appearances for Tottenham.  Even as an Arsenal fan, Dier’s story puts a smile on my face.  

Chelsea Lucky, Familiar Foes for Arsenal, City

Arsenal

A familiar foe for Arsenal in recent history, Borussia Dortmund join the Gunners in Group D.  Group mates in three of the past four seasons, Arsenal and Dortmund won their respective away games against each other last year.  Even with the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, Dortmund are still an extremely dangerous team in this competition.  

However, the bottom half of the group is much easier for Arsenal than the likes of Napoli and Marseille were last season.  Anderlecht, having won the Belgian championship three years running, will likely be the whipping boys of the group; they have only progressed past the group stage twice in their history.  Galatasaray, under new manager Cesare Prandelli, will look to play spoiler here, but it’s difficult to imagine them upsetting either Arsenal or Dortmund.  

Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers will be happy with Liverpool’s favorable draw in Group B.  Sure, they’ll have Ronaldo and the boys to deal with twice against Real Madrid, but advancing past the likes of Basel and Ludogorets should be a formality.  Expect Liverpool to finish second in this group, with an outside chance of ruining Los Blancos’ expected finish atop the group.  

Bulgarian side Ludogorets will be happy taking any points from this group, but Basel have adequately played the spoiler role in the Champions League in recent years.  However, I see Brendan Rodgers having a lot of success in European competition in years to come.  Rodgers is such an excellent tactician, partnered with his shrewd business in the summer.  Many of the players he has signed have Champions League or Europa League experience and are comfortable in the European game.  

Manchester City 

The Citizens finally progressed past the group stages in last years competition, but were disposed of rather easily by Barcelona.  This year, the draw isn’t much easier, but Manuel Pellegrini will expect his team to go through and perhaps even challenge Bayern for the top spot in the group (assuming his math is correct this time ‘round).

CSKA Moscow and Roma round out the bottom half of the group, both of which are respectable Champions League opponents.  Traveling to Moscow is never easy, while Rudi Garcia continues to build an impressive foundation at Roma.  Pellegrini has added more depth to his team in the summer, showing he is ambitious to make some noise in the Champions League this season.  However, this is probably the hardest group in the entire competition, so don't count on chalk here.    

Chelsea

By far the easiest draw of any premier league side, Chelsea should have no problem not only advancing but winning this group easily.  Jose Mourinho has depth at every position, and could feasibly change all 11 starters from a premier league game and be fine against these teams.  

Sporting Lisbon look a dangerous side with Nani in the fold, but last year was truly a revelation in the Portuguese league and I don’t expect them to hit the same form again this season, especially if William Carvalho leaves before Monday.  Maribor impressively eliminated Celtic, but will be the bottom-feeders in this group.  Schalke have a good record in European competition, but with the emergence of Bayer Leverkusen will be happy to just be back in the Champions League next year and likely focus on the Bundesliga.  

Weekend Preview: United Badly Need This One

Under-fire manager Louis Van Gaal is not finding life simple in England.  After the 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in the Capital One Cup this week, one would assert that things couldn’t get any worse for the Dutchman and Manchester United.

Well, cheer up Louis, because even though it’s away from home, you’ve got Burnley this weekend, a side who also suffered defeat to a lower-division side in the Capital One Cup this week.  However, anything less than three points would mean the support calling for your head and probably another awkward meeting with Ed Woodward. 

It could be worse for United in that they are lucky they don’t play a nightmare fixture following two already rather lenient games to start the season.  Manchester United have to take it one match at a time, and regardless of their recent form, should take care of business at Turf Moor on Saturday.  

As I mentioned earlier, Burnley were stunned by Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup in front of a lackluster crowd at Turf Moor.  Even thought it was just a cup game, you would think the supporters would turn up to support their side.  On Saturday, don’t expect a half-empty stadium, but know that the support for the recently-promoted club is not what it should be.  

A week one defeat to Chelsea was almost a formality, but last weeks fixture against Swansea was hotly contested.  Although Nathan Dyer scored the only goal of the game in the first half, the second period was dominated by the Clarets.

From a Burnley perspective, this fixture could mean a great deal to them.  If they were to grab a point or perhaps stun Manchester United as bottom-feeder clubs are so accustomed to, it could be a springboard for them.  

If they lose, it's far from the end of the World...they're Burnley, not Manchester United after all.  The Clarets will come out and attack, with Danny Ings leading the line against a United side seriously lacking confidence.  

On the other side of the ball, Van Gaal will likely have Argentinian signings Marcos Rojo and record signing Angel Di Maria available for selection, and if that’s not a boost to the club I don’t know what is.  

Di Maria led La Liga by a wide margin with 17 assists last year, and was man of the match in the Champions League final.  His impact for Argentina in the World Cup was immense, while his injury absence from the semifinal and final were noticeable.  

Di Maria’s offensive prowess is well-documented, and people have been comparing his new role to that of Arjen Robben under Van Gaal.  What makes Di Maria better than the Dutchman is his willingness to defend at times, something which earned him starts in the middle of the pitch last season after Gareth Bale was bought from Tottenham.  

As for Rojo, he immediately becomes arguably Manchester United’s best defender.  Rojo starred under Alejandro Sabella in Brazil, also showing he can play on both sides of the ball to devastating effect.  However, he is just one player, and his impact can only be felt at one position.  

Rojo’s versatility will make him an excellent tool in Van Gaal’s constantly changing tactical scheme, but with the recent run of injuries to almost every midfielder at the club, the focus of concern is slurring between defense and the midfield.  

Finally, it remains to be seen how United will line up with their new star player in the fold.  United have a wealth of attacking talent in Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, and now Di Maria.  The key will be integrating Di Maria while maintaining a defensive presence in the back.  

Against MK Dons, Manchester United were made up of either untested academy players or men Van Gaal is phasing out of the club; hardly a side with any motivation or confidence.  

Right now, Van Gaal doesn’t have the luxury of selecting his best players with all the injuries.  It is imperative that the Dutchman instill it in all eleven players on the pitch that laziness or complacency will not be tolerated.  I expect United to take three points from this game, but it will not be easy at all.  United will grab the early lead, Burnley will fight back, but come up just short.  2-1 Red Devils.  

Fernando Simplifies Things For City

It was a roller coaster of a campaign for Manchester City last season.  In Manuel Pellegrini’s first season at the Etihad, City won two trophies and displayed some dominant displays of football.  What almost saw the Citizens lose the title however, was their inconsistent defending in the middle of the park.  

Particuarly away from home, Manchester City were too susceptible to the odd counter attack and poor run of play.  They would go missing for extended periods of matches, lacking the ability to defend in the middle third.  

Fernandinho is an excellent central midfielder, as is Yaya Toure.  However, as the year went on, it became clearer and clearer that both prefer to get forward more than track back.  

After two league games, Manchester City new boy Fernando is already panning out as the clubs most impactful signing of the summer.  Since Nigel De Jong left in the wake of their 2011-2012 championship, the Blues have been missing a steely defensive midfielder.  

Fernando fills this void, and although Fernandinho played alongside Yaya Toure for much of the year to great effect, the Brazilian was at fault for a lot of City’s positional indiscipline last season.  

In the big games, Pellegrini has the option to play the more defensive Fernando next to Toure, while Fernandinho would offer more going forward if he prefers an attacking side.  As we have seen in the first two games, Fernandinho can replace a forward from the bench and provide even more cover.  

In both instances, Pellegrini has done this to protect a lead, and in both instances Manchester City have closed out the game properly.  The chances of coming from behind against this team are even slimmer now.

Although he shows no signs of slowing down, Yaya Toure is getting old.  Fernando is the type of player who complements the Ivorian best, especially at this point in his career.  Liverpool, playing just one holding midfielder, ought to look at what Pellegrini does with his two central holders and think about fielding more support for Steven Gerrard.  

Poetically enough, Fernando is a much simpler player than Fernandinho.  They share a name and a starting position, but the latter is more flamboyant in both aspects.  With Fernando in the fold, Pellegrini has a means to simplify things on the pitch, which so far he has done after just two games.